Between his world-dominating work with Nickelback, his multi-platinum collaborations with other artists, and his award-winning compositions for film, Chad Kroeger has proved himself one of the most successful artists working in rock today. Check out hits such as “Rock Star,” “Photograph,” “How You Remind Me,” “I’d Come for You,” “Savin’ Me,” “Far Away” and “Someday,” and you quickly realize that Kroeger not only possess a distinctive voice and a knack for writing hit songs – from ballads to anthems – but he is adept at penning thunderous guitar riffs, too. To honor these achievements, Gibson Guitar, the world’s premier musical instrument company and leader in music technology, has collaborated with the multi-award winner to present the Chad Kroeger Signature Les Paul signature model – available worldwide in October 2010.

“I love this guitar. I’ve been able to test-drive it on the current Nickelback tour and love the ’50s-style neck as well as the inclusion of a 490-R and 498-T pickup combination, featuring a Piezo pickup that mimics acoustic guitar tones making me able to switch from a crunchy rock sound to a bright, clear acoustic sound with the twist of one knob,” Kroeger said during a recent visit to Gibson USA in Nashville.

On a Nickelback tour stop in Nashville, Chad boarded the Gibson Tour Bus and paid a visit to the Gibson USA factory to walk through and witness the final preparations being made to his signature guitar. Chad had the opportunity to tour the factory and get a step-by-step rundown on his line of guitars.

“It was a memorable experience on a number of levels as I was able to interact and talk to the people on the line at Gibson USA about the guitar and its design, and also to witness their pride in their work,” Chad said.

A mean-looking, hot-sounding contemporary Les Paul, the Chad Kroeger “Blackwater” Les Paul comes disguised as a traditional single-cutaway Standard with all the appointments that have made this guitar legendary for more than 50 years, but hides some simple yet clever surprises that expand its sonic capabilities exponentially. In addition to its traditional magnetic humbucking pickups, a GraphTech™ Ghost® piezo bridge and related electronics provide an authentic acoustic guitar sound that can be used entirely on its own, patched parallel to the magnetic pickups through two amps, or blended with the traditional tone. Roll from atmospheric ballad to rock anthem at the twist of a knob, or craft your own new tones that blend elements of both. With its killer, hand-stained, Trans Black AAA-flame maple top and unique trim package – featuring a truss-rod cover engraved with “Blackwater” in silver and small white stars on the side of the neck corresponding with the position markers – the Chad Kroeger “Blackwater” Les Paul looks as unique as it sounds, too.

For an inspiring blend of classic Les Paul Standard electric tone and versatile electro-acoustic performance, the Chad Kroeger Signature Blackwater Les Paul aims to please. Starting with the timeless tonewoods that have made the Les Paul great for 60 years, the Chad Kroeger “Blackwater” Les Paul uses a mahogany body with strategically placed chambers for weight relief and sonic resonance and caps it with a solid maple top, giving you the warmth and depth of mahogany and bite and sparkle of maple in a best-of-both-worlds concoction that has never been beaten. More than just any old maple, though, Gibson selects AAA-grade flamed maple and gives it a hand-stained Trans Black finish in high-gloss nitrocellulose, which brings stunning depth and dimension to this gorgeous wood. Gibson’s traditional hardware set, including Grover kidney button tuners, keeps it all solid and singing, but in this case the Tune-o-matic-style bridge hides a potent secret: GraphTech™’s Ghost® System employs piezo bridge saddles to provide an authentic acoustic tone from a standard electric guitar, taking the Chad Kroeger “Blackwater” Les Paul’s sonic potential into the stratosphere. Patch the acoustic sound to its own amp or PA board via the guitar’s stereo output jack, and you’ve got instant, stage-ready acoustic tones at the twist of a knob. Or, blend it with the traditional magnetic pickup tone to create sounds that are all your own. When you want to get purely down and dirty, run straight through the Chad Kroeger “Blackwater” Les Paul’s traditional Alnico-magnetic humbuckers – two of Gibson’s most popular pickups. A 490R in the neck position offers impressive depth and warmth, while a hotter 498T in the bridge position gives you all the snarl and growl required for searing crunch tones and singing rock leads. Each guitar comes protected in a black hardshell Gibson case with plush lining, includes full owner’s manual and adjustment literature, and is covered by Gibson’s Limited Lifetime Warranty and 24/7/365 Customer Service. Click here for more information on the Chad Kroeger “Blackwater” Les Paul.

Look for a sneak peak video of Chad’s visit to Gibson USA, coming to Gibson.com in October.